BBC BROADCAST SATURDAY DECEMBER 6th (Terry Norwood at the desk)
Some gristle to chew on for a start:
- The first round of the Men’s Fours Championship was conducted on Saturday, so more information on that below.
- The second week of the Southern Highlands Cup was staged when the teams from Bundanoon, Robertson and Bowral gathered at Bundy on Sunday. More on that as well below.
- Bowlers are reminded that the end of year BBQ will be held at the Club on Saturday 13th around 3.30. We will use this as an opportunity to recognise our champions as well as an opportunity to champion the spirit of bowling in Bowral.
- To fit in with the BBQ, the Fours Competition games on Saturday 13th, including the Fours Plate between team Forrester and team Fisher, will commence at the earlier time of 10.30. Social bowls will also commence slightly earlier at 12.00. As there will probably be many barefoot bowlers also at the Club on Saturday, we will be using the Wilson Green.
- Just to make life more interesting (and challenging!!), the markets will be set up in the parking area for the Bowral Saturday Markets. Parking will be at a premium, so bowlers might consider parking around the back behind the Lewis Green and entering through the back gate.
- The Gordon Lewis sponsored ‘Spirit of Bowral Bowling – The FOSS Award’ will conclude on Wednesday with the playing of the fourth week of games. Barb Wainberg currently leads the field by 1 point from Robin Staples and Peter Flight, but there are many bowlers still in the running to win or collect second or third prize money. Be there on Wednesday, bowl and enjoy!
- The time to enter the Consistency Singles will close on Wednesday December 10th so there are only a couple of days to get your name on the list. The Match Committee then has to organise the handicaps so the event can get underway on January 3rd ’26.
Major Fours Championship
In steamy, blustery conditions, the two first round of 21-end matches were rolled out on the Wilson Green.
In the match on rink 2, Barb Wainberg, Peter Marshall, Ian Duncan and Mick Fisher faced up to Noel Fraser, Jim Neely, Dugald Braithwaite and Oscar Whalin, and it was Oscar’s team that won the opening three ends to set the pace. Mick’s four then won the next two ends, but by the eleventh were still four shots adrift. Oscar’s team then pushed their advantage to 14 – 6 by the fifteenth, but a solid run of four ends had Mick’s team only three behind with two ends to play. All Mick’s team were hanging in well and taking the challenge up to their more favoured opponents. However, in a great finish, Oscar’s team held firm and came out 15 – 12 victors. This was a solid victory for the favoured four, but congrats also for a fine effort to Barb, Peter, Ian and Mick for a very creditable performance to finish only three behind.
In the match on rink 3, Mark Barrow, Graham Hartnup, Paul McInerney and Dave Charlesworth took the battle up to Ted McPhee, Robin Staples, Terry Norwood and Chris Forrester, and Chris’ team were all smiles when Chris put the jack in the ditch on the first and they grabbed a four shotter! However, the smiles were wiped from their faces when they dropped a four of their own and they were behind 5 – 4 after three ends. Holding firm, Dave’s team absorbed anything that was thrown at them, and they still held the lead at 10 – 9 after nine ends. They then pushed this to 17 – 9 until a five shotter and a three levelled the scores at 18 apiece and it looked to be ‘game on ‘. The turning point and the miracle shot came on the twentieth end . . . one ahead on the scorecard but five down on the green, skipper Dave drew shot through a maze of bowls! Brilliant! With lead Mark then putting them on the jack on the last end, Dave’s team held on for a terrific win 24 – 23.
So, the semi-finals next week will see Oscar’s team up against the Dave Charlesworth four, while Al McGhee’s group are champing at the bit to take on the Mick Flynn led four. Bowl well!
NB The two losing teams of the first round will play for the Fours Plate on Saturday at 10.30 while the semi-finals are in progress. So Chris Forrester’s four will be up against Mick Fisher’s four to see who can hold the Plate aloft!
Southern Highlands Cup
Bowral’s ten bowlers ventured to Bundanoon for the second round of the Southern Highlands Cup and came away with mixed results. Prior to this round, Bowral was leading the competition on 11 points, followed by Bundanoon on 5 and Robertson on 2. And as a reminder, the competition involves each Club being represented by two pairs teams and two triples, each playing a match of two eleven end games against an opponent team.
In the first of the pairs matches, Oscar Whalin and Dugald Braithwaite won the first of the eleven end games but lost the second, and then lost the tie breaker. So they earned 1 competition point for Bowral.
In the second pairs match, Ash Lewis and Chris Forrester drew both of their eleven end games and so earned half a competition point.
In the triples match where Bowral was represented by Reta South, Gail Fraser and Robin Staples, Bowral won both games and therefore came away with the maximum 3 points.
In the other triples match, Noel Fraser, Dave Coltman and Al McGhee also won both games, so also earned Bowral the maximum of 3 points.
Overall then, Bowral was the major point scorer with 7.5 points, followed by Bundanoon with 6 and Robertson notching up 4.5 points. So, with one round remaining (to be played at Robertson on Sunday 14th commencing at 10am), Bowral leads the competition with 18.5 points, followed by Bundy on 11 and Robertson on 6.5! It’s a handy lead, but all Bowral bowlers will need to be on their game for the 10am hit out to consolidate the position at the head of the pack; bowl well ladies and gents!
Saturday Social Bowls
Half a dozen hardy souls ventured onto the Wilson Green, when Terry ‘pep’ Salter, Mike Hook and the venerable cobbler Gordon Lewis tested their skills against Barry Werfel, Peter ‘featherless’ Flight and Ross ‘trim’ Barber, and despite dropping a three on the first end, Gordon’s team was quickly into stride to blitz the opposition and lead 13 – 5 after nine. With Gordon leading the way, his trio was still well in front at 18 – 12 after sixteen and were looking confident. However, a four shotter to Ross’ trio got them to within a shot, and they were still only one behind after twenty. And then, with all the charity of the festive season (or maybe it was just an unfortunate oopser), skipper Gordon gifted a shot to the opposition on the last so that the game finished in a classic draw at 19 all!